After being injured playing baseball, Jim Reeves went to work for KGRI, a small radio station in Henderson, Texas in latter 1947. With the exception of a brief hiatus to sell insurance for the National Life Insurance Co. (which, ironically, owned WSM, the Grand Ole Opry's flagship station), Reeves remained at KGRI until the end of January 1952. (Below is a photo of a "microphone flag" that had been attached to an RCA ribbon Shure 44 Electrovoice mic used at the station).
KGRI was located in a ranch-style house (nicknamed "the little red barn"), which sat atop a small hill near a big curve on the winding Southwood Road (now 102 Fair Park Drive), off U.S. 79 in Southwest Henderson.
During that time, the Reeveses socialized with Jim's colleagues from the radio station. In those more innocent times, people used to have "house parties." They'd either play records on a phonograph, or tune in the radio and dance. It was all good, clean fun.
This home movie, which is courtesy of Stan Jeffus, shows Jim and Mary at the party. The film was shot at the Jeffus home around Christmas in 1948. Stan's father, George, worked as an engineer who helped put KGRI on the air. On Saturdays Stan sometimes went with his dad to the station, where more than once he saw Jim sweeping up the place.
When the movie begins, if you look closely you can see Jim and Mary sitting on the far side of the room with the window behind them. Soon Mary jumps up to dance with Jeff Ledbetter, while Jim sits and watches. Jeff was part of the little group that included Reeves and Al Courtney, who had a 15 minute show on the station on which they performed (in addition to their announcing duties). And, as Tillman Franks (who was Johnny Horton's manager) told me, Jeff did a lot to help Jim in his early singing career, acting as a sort of ad hoc manager in the beginning.
The man with the pipe is Lynn Roy of KGRI, and you see him dancing with his wife, Nell, and daughter Dianne. The Roys also had a big home on nearby Lake Cherokee. Dianne told me "we had a house in town and a house on the lake and they would come out and spend weekends on the lake. We never went to Jim and Mary's because they lived in a boarding house. They went with us different places." (I have a photo in my book, "Jim Reeves: His Untold Story," of the couples across from the beach in Galveston, Texas).
As the dance proceeds, you also catch a glimpse of Jim and Mary swinging in the background. Finally Jim walks across the room to talk with Mr. Ledbetter.
It looks like a happy time was had by all. Little did anyone know that some day Mr. Reeves would be an international singing star, selling millions of recordings, and being loved by generations of fans.
Sadly, after Jim died, the KGRI building was destroyed by fire. A lot of historic materials had been stored in the attic, including rare recordings by Jim, and they were lost in the blaze.
Much more innocent times then not like today little did anyone realize then Jim would go on to become what he became alas too short a life lost so soon
ReplyDeleteHello. My mother was Jim's secretary at KGRI in Henderson! Loved him and his music - and I grew up with every LP and was influenced by him in my own musical efforts and later befriended Mary. My mother went to hear deathbed swearing she saw Jim from a distance (departing a limo with several men in suits and sunglasses entering a bank and departing a few minutes later) in her new town in 1964 after the crash. I guess we'll never know. Thanks for your research and love for Jim.
ReplyDeleteNice film, Happy Times!!!
ReplyDeleteI worked there as a DJ in 1968. Mack McCreary was the station manager. We had two reel to reel tape recorders which was the "elevator music" for the FM. At noon daily we would simulcast 30 minutes of Jim Reeves music. I read here where the "Little Red Barn" burned down shortly after Jim's death in 1964.I never realized that it was a new building I was working in. The transmitter was the original one and the building appeared old . Are you sure it burned down before I worked there in 1968? Looked OLD to me!!
ReplyDeleteCharlie West Legends 103.9 - Amarillo,Texas
Yes, I am sure there was a fire that burned down the original building. In fact, it was said there had been some Jim Reeves tapes stored there that were lost.
Delete